Any organizational change, whether small or large, brings fear and anxiety. Generally, we humans are not fond of change. We prefer all our daily tasks and ways of living to continue as they are. However, we should not forget that achieving success and significant goals requires us to constantly prepare for change and adapt to challenges. Organizational change comes in many forms. We suggest you watch this webinar where Mr. Omar Mustafa, a master's in Human Resource Management, discusses organizational change. However, among the types of organizational change, technological change and embracing technology instill the most fear and anxiety. There are many reasons for this, but we will highlight the main challenges and their solutions.
Why Do Technological Changes Create Challenges?
As we mentioned, any change brings fear and anxiety, whether it is in personal life or professional and work life. However, technological change creates more challenges than any other change. Some challenges are simply fear and anxiety, while others are significant and require solutions. The challenges we discuss in this article are common, and many organizations face them.
Challenges
Resistance to Change
The first and most widespread challenge in technological change is created by the organization's own administration and employees. The reason is simply fear and anxiety about change. Employees and managers, especially those from the (Baby Boomer and Gen X) generations, often have a greater fear of using electronic systems (though this is not always the case). The reason is that these generations (1946 to 1980) have conducted their daily tasks and professional duties without using technology. Now, technological change within their organization creates fear and anxiety. Some employees are generally resistant to change, regardless of age. These individuals prefer all tasks and duties to be performed in the same way they always have and are not comfortable with change. Others, despite technology organizing their tasks and reducing routine and errors, resist it. For example, when you ask an employee to start a task and fill out a form to initiate the process, they may respond by saying: "I previously sent a voice message on WhatsApp, and the tasks were done, but now technology has complicated things."
The solution to this challenge is simply dialogue and understanding. Before anything else, fears and anxieties must be addressed and responded to. For example, employees who are older may fear losing their jobs or making mistakes due to misunderstanding. These fears should be addressed, ensuring the organization offers comprehensive training and that making mistakes initially is normal and not punishable. In this way, all fears and anxieties can be addressed because, as we mentioned, most resistance is due to fear of change.
Incompatibility of Electronic Systems with the Organization
Every organization, whether public or private, has its way of performing tasks and business processes. A significant challenge in technological change is when an organization cannot find any electronic system that fits its work processes. No organization can fully perform its tasks and processes electronically without an appropriate system that meets all its needs.
The solution to this challenge involves several points. First, always look for an electronic system developed locally, considering the specific needs of your country. Second, find a system that meets all your requirements without having to go back to the developer or programmers of the system. Third, ensure the system is built on scientific foundations. For example, an accounting system must be developed based on accounting principles, not just the ideas of a few individuals.
Lack of Expertise in Organizations
Another challenge in technological change is the lack of expertise in using systems. Even if the system developer offers training, continuous issues in using the system arise due to the lack of technical knowledge among employees and administration.
The solution to this challenge can be addressed in two ways. First, organizations must emphasize the importance of hiring employees with good technical knowledge during recruitment. We live in an era where organizations have either implemented technological changes or are in the process. Hiring employees without technical expertise creates ongoing issues. Second, organizations should continuously provide training for their employees, not only on electronic systems but also on general technical awareness, such as protecting themselves from phishing and internet scams and safeguarding their devices from harmful files.
Fear of Relying on Technology and Electronic Systems
Many managers and business owners fear relying on a system to digitize their organization. This fear is entirely justified. How can they trust that their data is only stored on one computer? What if they spend a lot of money and the system is not useful? What if the developer company does not provide support?
The solution to this challenge has been thoroughly explained in one of our articles. By reading (Digitizing Your Organization – The Outcome Depends on Reading This Article) you should no longer fear technological change.
Conclusion
The points discussed highlight the main challenges of technological change in organizations. We hope this article has been helpful and answered your questions. If you have any additional questions, please leave a comment below, and we will be happy to answer them. Additionally, whenever you decide to digitize your organization, our consultants are ready to assist you with pleasure and dedication. Just contact us or request a demo.
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